World

Lithium battery ignites on Air China flight in mid-air, forces emergency landing

Cabin crew quickly brought the situation under control, and the pilot decided to divert the aircraft for an emergency landing at Shanghai Pudong International Airport,

Updated 9 months ago · Published on 19 Oct 2025 3:32PM

Lithium battery ignites on Air China flight in mid-air, forces emergency landing
The plane landed safely, and there were no reports of injuries among passengers or crew. - Screengrab from video, October 19, 2025

AN Air China passenger plane traveling from Hangzhou, China, to Incheon made an emergency landing in Shanghai due to an in-flight luggage fire.

Cabin crew quickly brought the situation under control, and the pilot decided to divert the aircraft for an emergency landing at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, said reports.

The plane landed safely, and there were no reports of injuries among passengers or crew.

Facebook page Army Military Force posted a video showing the aftermath of the incident, stating that a power bank had exploded on Air China flight CA139 - and Airbus A321-232 with registration B-8583.

Bright flames were seen coming from an overhead storage compartment in an image taken by a passenger.

In a statement on social media, Air China confirmed the incident.

“On October 18, on flight CA139 from Hangzhou to Incheon, a lithium battery in a passenger’s carry-on luggage stored in the overhead compartment spontaneously ignited.

"The crew immediately responded, and no one was injured," the statement added. – October 19, 2025

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